Introduction
Employers must give employees access to a proposed agreement or a copy of the agreement before they vote on it. Avoid errors that can delay approval.
Content
Content
The laws covering agreement making changed on 6 June 2023. Use this information if your notification time is before 6 June 2023. If notification time for your application is on or after 6 June 2023, see Changes to making Agreements for a summary of the new laws.
Two issues are common at this part of the process.
- The employer’s efforts were not enough
All through the access period, before employees vote, they must have access to:
- a copy of the proposed agreement
- other ‘incorporated material’.
Some employers do not try hard enough to give all employees access. You need to take ‘all reasonable steps’ when you communicate with employees.
Some employers do not give ‘incorporated material’ to employees. To understand what you must provide, see Voting process for agreements.
- The employer did not explain how they gave access
We need to know how you gave material to employees during the access period. When you apply for approval using Form F17, tell us:
- the dates you gave (or gave access to) materials to employees
- the steps you took to try and reach all employees.